tenthofjune

I had just gone out of the front door this afternoon when I heard an aircraft approaching – nothing surprising, we get a few planes and helicopters flying around here, but as I turned around to look I was treated to the rarely seen sight of a Lancaster bomber (PA474) flying over at low level. (There are only two remaining flying Lancasters in the world, the other is in Canada). According to this page it must have been doing a fly past at Crosby and was on its way home to Lincolnshire.

I have added some photos taken today of the Blackrod Scarecrow Festival to our photo gallery.

Update – 2009 Festival Dates

The 2009 festival is taking place on 4th/5th July. (I am getting a lot of search engine hits on this post as, for some reason, there is no official website for the festival)

2010 dates are here

It was Horwich Carnival Races yesterday. Although the weather wasn’t as good as previous years, it did at least stay dry. I didn’t have time to catch all the races, but here’s a few pictures from the 3:15 women’s cycle race.

 

 

The Horwich Morris Men performed their annual parade around Horwich today to celebrate St.George’s Day, but thanks to the sad compensation-led state of our legal system, Police will no longer organise rolling roadblocks, so roads must be closed ‘for safety reasons’.

Horwich Morris Men make their way down Church Street from the Brown Cow

Fortunately, rather than canceling the event, the organisers decided to continue but stick to the pavements.

According to the Bolton News, teams who were due to take part included: Wrigley Head, Mossley and Saddleworth morris men, Ripon City and the Britannia Coconut Dancers, from Bacup.

Saddleworth Morris Men performing outside the Bridge Inn

I recently got a cheap 3 spot light fitting from Aldi. (Likely to get trashed by my two young daughters, so wasn’t after anything expensive)

It came with tungsten halogen lamps I had not seen before – G9. However, at 40W each, it was too bright for the location, so I went looking for replacement lower wattage lamps.

B&Q wanted £5.98 for two 25W lamps. Unfortunately, unlike last time, Screwfix didn’t fare much better, wanting £24 for ten (plus P&P)

The winner this time was our local DIY shop, Wallpaper supplies in Horwich, who were selling 25W lamps for £1.25 each.

Update October 2008

Even better – Aldi now have a pack of three 25W lamps for £1.99.

I was relieved to read in the Bolton News that the ridiculous chicanes installed on Crown Lane in Horwich, are to be removed.

The full details of the decision can be read here, but the summary reads:

Residents of Crown Lane/Station Road have had a longstanding concern about the speed of all traffic and volume of heavy goods vehicles, using this route. In August 2006, following a consultation and public meeting to discuss the options, an experimental scheme was introduced in the form of two chicanes and a 7.5 tonne weight limit. At the end of the first six months of operation, local residents were consulted to determine their views on the operation of the scheme. This report summarises and comments on the concerns expressed, both in response to the introduction of the scheme, and in response to the consultation. Having considered the comments made in response to the latest consultation and by those who have submitted formal objections in writing, the Director of Environmental Services recommends the Executive Member to agree to the removal of the chicanes on Crown Lane, Horwich, to the north of Vale Avenue and on Station Road, Blackrod, at the M61 motorway bridge. The Director further recommends that the Planning and Highways Committee be requested to confirm the Experimental 7.5 tonne Weight Limit as a permanent Order.

Not before time! This is not some back road being used as a rat-run, it is a classified road (the B5238) and forms a vital link between Horwich and Blackrod (and the A6). You only have to look at the chaos caused when the A6 was closed by roadworks, the alternate route via Chorley New Road and De Havilland Way ground to a halt.

If traffic calming is required, then two mini roundabouts at Vale Avenue and Moss Lane would achieve this, (Moss Lane is going to be getting a lot busier, since the Council approved the building of a large number of apartments there), but that would of course cost a lot more money.

I drove past the new Spirit of Sport sculpture next to the Reebok Stadium this morning.

For something that’s supposed to be 21ft higher than the Angel of the North, it doesn’t look very tall, although the Angel of the North is raised up on a hill, rather than stuck in the middle of a roundabout.

Add to that the fact that this has cost over 300,000 pounds, not including the numerous times Bolton Council have dug up the surrounding road, changing the dual carriageway to three lanes and now back to two, causing traffic chaos and delays in the process. This, at a time when the council are whinging that they are 400,000 pounds short on the roads budget. No doubt, someone will point out that the money for the sculpture has come from some different pot, but it doesn’t solve the fact that money has been wasted on the surrounding roads for this.

Added some more pics in the ‘About Horwich‘ section of our gallery.